The United States is warning shipping companies that they could face sanctions if they pay fees to Iran to safely cross the Strait of Hormuz.
The warning published on Friday, 1st, by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) adds more pressure to the impasse between the US and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a channel at the entrance to the Persian Gulf that receives about a fifth of world trade in oil and natural gas in peacetime.
In practice, Iran closed the maritime channel by attacking and threatening to attack ships after the United States and Israel started the war against the Iranian regime on February 28. Iran then began offering safe passage to some vessels via alternative routes closer to the coast, charging fees in certain cases.
This “toll” is the focus of the US sanctions warning.
Payment requirements could include transfers not just in cash but also in “digital assets, offsets, informal exchanges, or other in-kind payments,” including charitable donations and payments at Iranian embassies, OFAC said.
“OFAC is issuing this alert to warn U.S. and non-U.S. persons of the sanctions risks when making these payments or requesting guarantees from the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of the payment method,” it said.
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The US responded to Iran’s closure of the strait with a naval blockade of its own on April 13, preventing Iranian oil tankers from leaving the country and depriving Iran of the oil revenue needed to support its already weakened economy.
US Central Command said 45 commercial ships have been told to turn around since the blockade began.
Trump rejects Iranian proposal
The warning came as US President Donald Trump quickly rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war between the countries.
“They want to make a deal, I’m not happy with that, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump said Friday at the White House. He did not elaborate on what he saw as flaws in the proposal, but expressed frustration with the Iranian leadership.
“It’s very disjointed leadership,” Trump said. “Everyone wants to make a deal, but they are all disorganized.”
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The Iranian state agency IRNA reported that Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night, 30.
The fragile three-week ceasefire between the US and Iran appears to be holding, although both countries have traded accusations of violations. The impasse has put increasing pressure on the global economy, raising prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products linked to the oil industry.
Negotiations continued by phone after Trump canceled his envoys’ trip to Pakistan last week, the president said. This week, he suggested a new plan to reopen the critical passage used by U.S. allies in the Gulf to export their oil and gas.
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed many of his regional counterparts about the country’s efforts to end the war, according to his social media accounts. He also held talks on Friday with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who is in contact with the bloc’s Gulf partners.
Iran executes two men convicted of spying for Israel
Iran said on Saturday it had executed two men convicted of spying for Israel.
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The Iranian judiciary’s news outlet, Mizanonlineidentified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh. According to the vehicle, they were hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentences.
The portal stated that Karimpour was accused of sending “sensitive information” to an agent from the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, while Bekrzadeh allegedly sent details about government officials and religious leaders, as well as information about Natanz. The city in central Iran is home to a nuclear enrichment facility bombed by Israel and the US last year.
Iran has executed more than a dozen people for alleged espionage and terrorism activities in recent weeks.
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Chinese UN envoy calls on Iran to lift restrictions
Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the United Nations, said on Friday that maintaining the ceasefire is “the most urgent issue”, as is bringing the parties together to resume good faith negotiations “to ensure that there are conditions for the reopening of Hormuz”.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi “has been practically on the phone all the time” with representatives from all sides, Fu said, adding that China supports Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between the parties.
Fu emphasized that the root cause of the enormous suffering in Iran and neighboring countries, as well as the growing turbulence in the global economy, especially in developing countries, “is the illegitimate war waged by the US and Israel.”
*This content was translated with the help of Artificial Intelligence tools and reviewed by the editorial team of Estadão.
